Return of the Dragons
by Agafan
Summary: Skyrim is in the throes of civil war and unrest. Now dragons are returning to this ancient land, and this marks the turning of a new age. Entering into this a jaded mercenary, marked for death, but unbeknownst to him he shall become Skyrim's - nay, Tamriel's - saviour. Novelisation of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Mkendrick came to with a small groan. His head _hurt_. He opened his eyes slowly and he looked around, puzzled. Where was he? Taking stock took only a second; an open wooden carriage being pulled by a pair of horses, chill air biting at his skin. Snow-covered trees around him.  
"Hey, you. You're awake?" Mkendrick looked around; there were three other men in the carriage with him. He suddenly realised his hands were tied. He looked at the one who had spoken, who was dressed in blue leather and furred armour. He was obviously a Nord, blond, muscled and strong.  
Mkendrick must've looked confused, for the Nord said, "You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that ambush, same as us... and that thief there."  
"Damn you," Growled the dark-haired man beside him, his accent more southern. "Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was lazy. If it wasn't for you I'd have stolen that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell by now." His gaze switched to Mkendrick. "You there. You and me, we shouldn't be here. It's the Stormcloaks the empire wants."  
"We're all brothers and sisters in chains now, thief." The blond-haired Nord rejoined.  
"Shut up back there!" The man driving the carriage said, an Imperial soldier in leather armour. Mkendrick imagined knocking him off the carriage, but he couldn't with his hands bound. Nice image, though.  
"What's wrong with him?" The dark-haired man asked, looking at the fourth person in the carriage, a finely-dressed man whose mouth was gagged with cloth.  
"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true high king!" Replied the Nord harshly.  
"Ulfric... Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion... If they captured you... Oh gods! Where are they taking us?" The dark-haired man seemed set to panic and try to jump out of the carriage.  
"I don't know where we're going," The Nord said grimly, "But Sovengarde awaits."  
Mkendrick cursed inwardly, but he held his tongue. He was a man of few words, and for good reason.  
The Horse thief continued to murmur, "No, this can't be happening... Can't be happening..."  
"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?" The Nord asked.  
"Why do you care?" He replied. Mkendrick kept one ear to his conversation; he noticed that they had been going downhill the whole time and the snow was beginning to disappear. He heard birds.  
"A Nord's last thoughts should be on home."  
"Rorikstead." The horse thief finally said. "I'm from Rorikstead."

Mkendrick looked to his left, and saw out of the trees what looked like a fort. It had the expected wall around it, and several soldiers stood on top of the gates, "General Tullius, sir!" One of the soldiers called. Mkendrick realised that the foremost horse rider – he glanced back and saw a couple of imperial soldiers on horses behind their carriage- was in fact General Tullius, commander of all the imperial forces in Skyrim. _Must be serious_. "-Headsman is waiting!" The soldier was continuing.  
"Good, let's get this over with." The general's accent was solid imperial.  
Mara... Diabella... Kineryth... Ankintosh... Divines, please help me!" The horse thief whimpered. Mkendrick gave him a despairing look.  
"Look at him!" The Nord said in disdain, "General Tullius, military governor. And the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this."  
Mkendrick didn't reply but he agreed with the sentiments. Though not a Nord himself – Mkendrick hailed from the Breton homeland of High Rock – everyone knew about the Thalmor.

They were now inside the village. It looked pretty normal to Mkendrick- thatched roofs, imperial watch towers...  
"This is Helgen." Mkendrick heard the Nord say. "I used to be sweet on a girl from here." His voice was filled with nostalgia, "Wonder if Velod is still making that mead with the juniper berries mixed in. Funny," The tone of his voice suggested it was exactly the opposite, "when I was young imperial walls and watchtowers used to make me feel so safe..."  
Mkendrick sighed to himself. It looked like they were almost to the centre of the village. He heard a father telling his son to go inside. _That's right._ Mkendrick thought. _Wouldn't want to let him find out how brutal the empire is yet._ He paused and mentally shook his head. _When did I become so cynical?_

They came to what appeared to be the centre of the village, a smallish open space in front of a large imperial watchtower. Several imperial banners, with the stylised dragon symbol that was its herald, hung around. The horse thief voiced Mkendrick's concerns as the carriage in front of them stopped and their one looked to stop beside it, "Why are we stopping?"  
"Why do you think? End of the line." Was the grim reply from the Nord. Mkendrick noticed Ulfric looking around, glaring slightly.  
"Oh gods..." The horse thief murmured as the carriage stopped.  
"Come on." The Nord said, "Let's go. Don't want to keep the gods waiting..."

The four of them stood up and stepped off of the carriage, and stood in front of an imperial officer and a soldier with a clipboard. "Empire loves its damn lists." Muttered the Nord. Mkendrick smirked slightly.  
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm." Said the soldier with the clipboard. The man himself walked out of the line to stand in the middle of the small square. Mkendrick noticed the priest and headsman, as well as the dozens of soldiers.  
"It has been an honour, Jarl Ulfric." Said the Nord.  
"Ralof of Riverwood." The soldier continued, and the blond Nord walked to the middle of the square. "Lokir of Rorikstead." Was next.  
"No! I'm not a rebel!" Lokir the horse thief protested. "You can't do this!" He set off at a sprint past the officer and the soldier with the clipboard.  
"Halt!" Shouted the officer, and Mkendrick realised it was a woman; her steel armour covered any feminine curves. "Archers!" Bows were drawn and Lokir was taken down by an arrow in the back before he had gone more than a dozen metres. "Anyone else feel like running?" The officer asked with a sneer. Mkendrick immediately wanted to punch her.  
"Wait, you there." The soldier with the list said to Mkendrick. He was the only person left. "Step forward." Mkendrick did so. "Who are you?"  
"Bryan Mkendrick, of High Rock." He replied, voice clear in the chilly, still air.  
"What are you doing in Skyrim?" The soldier replied rhetorically, then turned to the officer. "Captain, what do we do? He isn't on the list."  
For a split second hope swelled in Mkendrick's breast. "Forget the list. He goes to the block." The captain replied. Mkendrick stared at her with undisguised loathing, now wanting to slip a knife between her ribs.  
"By your orders, captain." The soldier wrote something down in his book. "I'm sorry." The soldier said. "We'll make sure your remains are returned to High Rock." _Some comfort._ "Follow the captain, prisoner."  
Mkendrick walked over to stand beside Ralof. The prisoners were in a small crowd; the officer joined general Tullius, an orange-robed priest, and the black-hooded headsman.  
The general stepped forwards and stood in front of Jarl Ulfric, arms folded and posture relaxed. "Ulfric Stormcloak." The general seemed slightly amused. "Some here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to kill his king and usurp his throne!" Ulfric growled in reply, obviously trying to say something back. "You started this war!" The general continued. "Plunged Skyrim into Chaos. And now the empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace!" There were a few moments of silence, but then suddenly a far-away roar echoed around the mountains.  
"What was that?" One of the soldiers asked.  
"Nothing." General Tullius said. "Carry on."  
"Yes, general Tullius!" The officer said, sounding eager to please. _Sycophant._Mkendrick thought, sparing a few seconds to imagine removing her head from her torso. "Give them their last rites." The officer told the priest beside her, and she began,  
"As we commend your souls to Atheries, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you..."  
"For the love of Talos, shut up, and let's get this over with." One of the prisoners growled; a Stormcloak soldier by his dress. He walked forward.  
"As you wish." The priest said icily.  
"Come on, I haven't got all morning!" The soldier said defiantly. The officer pushed him onto his knees and his head onto the wooden block. "My ancestors are smiling at me, imperials. Can you say the same?"  
The headsman raised his axe, and a moment later blood spurted from the severed neck of the soldier, the head falling into a wooden box before the block. The officer pushed the body from the block with her boot.  
"Imperial bastards!" Shouted one of the prisoners.  
"As fearless in death as he was in life." Mkendrick heard Ralof mutter.  
"Next, the Breton!" Said the officer, pointing at Mkendrick.  
Before he could step forward, another faraway, echoed roar was heard.  
"There it is again."  
"Did you hear that?"  
"I said, next prisoner!" The officer sounded distinctly annoyed.  
"To the block prisoner, nice and easy..." Said the soldier who had the list before.  
Head held high, defiant and glaring, Mkendrick stepped forward and knelt at the block. It was stained with the soldier's blood, and he grimaced slightly as he put his held down on it. The headman's axe began rising. Well, at least it'd be quick.

Then, just as Mkendrick was resigned to his fate, the world exploded.


	2. Chapter 1: Escape

Mkendrick opened his eyes to see the headsman stumble as the very air itself vibrated with the raw power of the roar. He risked sitting up slightly, and his eyes widened as he saw what was perched atop the tower. It couldn't be... but it was! A dragon!

As said dragon roared again, making most in the courtyard stumble and sending flaming meteorites into the buildings around them, Mkendrick stumbled to his feet and cast his gaze around. It alighted on Ralof, who was guiding most of the Stormcloak prisoners to the watchtower behind them.

"Come on!" He yelled to Mkendrick, "We need to get inside!"

Mkendrick nodded and the pair managed to stumble into the relative safety. The thick wooden door slammed behind them. Glancing around the smoky interior Mkendrick saw maybe three other Stormcloaks had survived (though two of those looked gravely injured), as well as Jarl Ulfric. While Mkendrick was working out how to free his hands, he heard Ralof ask the Jarl, "What was that thing? Could the legends be true?"

The Jarl replied dryly, "Legends don't burn down villages." Mkendrick decided that he could like the man. However, as he lifted his head to ask if anybody had a blade there was another roar and the Jarl shouted, "We need to move, now!"

"Up through the tower!" Ralof replied, looking over to Mkendrick, who nodded. "Let's go!"

Ralof and Mkendrick charged up the stairs, the latter managing even though his hands remained bound. However, just before they reached the first landing, part of the wall above them exploded inwards, dragonfire spewing through the hole. Mkendrick thought he had glimpsed a man standing on the stone landing, but he certainly wasn't now. After a few seconds the dragon's maw shut and its black, spiked head disappeared. Mkendrick and Ralof hurried over to the hole and looked out.

"You see the house? Jump through the roof and keep going!" Ralof shouted. The erstwhile muted sounds of destruction almost made his words inaudible. "Go, we'll be right after you!"

With an inward sigh, Mkendrick took a short run-up and leapt through the hole in the tower, aiming for a smouldering hole in the thatch of the roof of the building opposite. He succeeded, but the fire ravaging the building had made the structure weak and the first floor gave way as soon as he put his weight on it. He smashed through the first floor and hit the ground.

Mkendrick blacked out for a minute, and when he came to inside the burning building he immediately clambered to his feet, gritting his teeth against the pain. _Wish I was a Khajiit._ He thought. _They always land on their feet._

Mkendrick stumbled outside, the heat from burning buildings on either side burning his skin, though fortunately apart from making the temperature unbearable he didn't hang around long enough for the flames to do much. A few metres away a child, villager and an Imperial Legionnaire were taking cover behind some wooden wreckage as the black dragon roared out fire at them, only a dozen metres away. He realised that it was the same soldier that had taken his name down... Only Mkendrick's bindings stopped him from killing the man instantly.

The stream of fire only lasted a few seconds before the dragon lifted off again and Mkendrick limped over to them. His pragmatic side kicked in; perhaps the Legionnaire would be useful in getting out of the fort. As he reached them the soldier noticed Mkendrick. "Still alive, prisoner? Stay close to me if you want to keep that way." Mkendrick grit his teeth slightly but nodded. The soldier ordered the villager – a middle-aged farmer, weathered and muscled from work in the fields – to take care of the child. "I need to find General Tullius and assist the defense!" He explained.

"Gods guide you, Hadvar." The villager replied, nodding as he led the boy away. Hadvar the Legionnaire and Mkendrick set off in the opposite direction.

On the way they had to take cover a couple of times as the black dragon flew over, spewing fire and sowing destruction wherever it went, apparently invulnerable to the flights of arrows being launched at it by the imperial archers, as well as the magic being launched by mages.

Everywhere Mkendrick looked, there was fire and ruin; the stink of smoke was matched by a roasting meat stench that he knew only too well. His eyes stung from the smoke.

As they hurried towards the source of the arrows, for the first time Mkendrick noticed that something was wrong with the sky. It looked... orange? Mutated, almost, swirling around the fort with demonic, evil intent, the clouds almost looking draconic. _At least I'm not about to be beheaded... though being scorched by a dragon is probably worse._ He mused, as they at last came across a large courtyard before the small castle-like keep, which he guessed housed the Imperial garrison of the fort town.

It had its own protective walls and a gate; it was through this they were heading. On the walls and in front on the ground stood archers and mages... Mkandrick had to admire their bravery as much as he was amused by their stupidity.

Hadvar lead Mkendrick at a jog through the smallish crowd of imperial soldiers – who were made smaller still seconds after leaving the outside courtyard for the inner by the dragon – where they were accosted by none other than Ralof, who had managed to find a sword.

"Ralof, you damned traitor! Out of my way!" Hadvar yelled, having to raise his voice above the dragon's roars as it decimated the forces on the walls with bursts of fire.

"We're escaping, Hadvar! You're not stopping us this time!" The Stormcloak replied angrily.

"Fine! I hope that dragon takes you all the Sovengarde!" Hadvar ran past him to one of the two doors at the front of the keep, the part it opened into looked like a long, low building.

Before Mkendrick could follow Ralof shouted to the Breton, "Come on with me, into the keep!" Though Mkendrick cared little about the Stormcloaks, the Imperials had tried to kill him and that had somewhat soured his opinion of them. So instead he followed Ralof into the other door; the building behind it was a large round watch-tower looking thing. He jogged through, and Ralof slammed the door behind them, once again muffling the roars and the screams.

The pair of them stood for maybe half a minute in silence, breathing in the dank air. They were in a large, circular room that was relatively well lit, imperial banners on the wall, a metal door in one doorway, wooden trellis in another. Both locked, probably.

Eventually Ralof walked over to the body on the other side of the room; a Stormcloak soldier by his now-familiar dress. "We'll meet again in Sovengarde..." Mkendrick heard him say, as the Nord crouched beside the body. Mkendrick took a couple of steps into the centre of the room to give him some privacy. He said a few more words Mkendrick couldn't hear, then straightened up. "I can't believe that that was a dragon, like from the stories! One of the bringers of the end times..." He seemed suitably impressed by the thought, then turned to Mkendrick. "Anyway, we should get out of here. Let me just cut your bonds..." His sword made short work of them. "Might as well take his gear... he won't be needing it." He gestured to the soldier.

Mkendrick grimaced but nodded. In short order he was wearing furred boots, leather and fur torso armour, and had an axe. This he held in his right hand; in his left he summoned a ball of flame with a wicked grin. "Ready." He said to Ralof, who nodded. The Nord had been examining the doors, but suddenly they both heard voices from behind the wooden trellis.

"Imperials!" Ralof hissed. "Maybe we can reason with them..." The trellis rolled up and two soldiers walked through it, though they didn't immediately see the pair.

Mkendrick realised with a jolt that one of them was the officer from before. Before he could launch himself at them, they were seen.

"Stormcloaks! Kill them!" Ordered the officer. She and the Imperial soldier charged at them; before Ralof could move Mkendrick was leaping at them, launching a ball of fire at the one in leather armour. His clothes and armour were set alight and he screamed, until Ralof silenced him with a swift stab. The officer, however, had already brought up her guard, but it did no good against Mkendrick. He knocked her sword aside with his arm, and his axe buried itself in her neck, just below her helmet.

"Sentence me to death now, bitch!" He roared, his momentum driving them both to the ground. Mkendrick ripped the officer's dagger from her side and drove it between the cheek guards of her helmet, feeling it stab through her eye and into her brain. He stood up slowly, and after tugging on the axe found it was too secure to move. He sighed and went to pick up the officer's sword, but realised that in deflecting it he had opened up a cut. A simple healing spell fixed it, and he looked up to see a new-found respect in Ralof's eyes. Mkendrick smiled grimly as he hefted the sword. It was well-made and well-balanced. Mkendrick searched the officer and after putting her sizeable coin pouch on his belt he found a key. On a hunch he tried it on the other metal door in the room, and it unlocked. He nodded to Ralof and they advanced through the door.

The doorway led into the small round room with stairs going down on the other side. As they got halfway across the room the keep rumbled, dust falling from the ceiling.

"We need to get out of here before that dragon brings the whole keep down on our heads!" Ralof said; Mkendrick nodded in agreement.

The stairs led to a long hallway with several doors. Mkendrick glimpsed a group of Imperial soldiers at the other end, but the keep rumbled again and the ceiling caved in halfway down the corridor, blocking the soldiers from sight.

Unfortunately, that also meant there was only one door left, which led to a large kitchen and storeroom area. Mkendrick chose to summon his familiar; a ghostly wolf creature that stuck by his side. Until it turned out that there was a pair of soldiers in the room, and it charged forward to sink its ghostly fangs into the neck of one of the soldiers. Mkendrick and Ralof easily finished off the second.

"You should look around, see if there's anything useful. I'll look around for a door." Ralof told Mkendrick. He nodded and managed to find a couple of healing potions before Ralof called from around the corner; there was indeed a door.

This door led down several corridors, all the while sloping downwards, until finally – after going down another set of stairs – they emerged into a room where a battle was going on, between two Imperials and two Stormcloaks. Mkendrick, his familiar, and Ralof charged in and the two Imperials were caught by surprise, though Mkendrick's familiar was banished by an unlucky sword strike. No matter; it was only there to help protect Mkendrick.

While Ralof talked to the Stormcloaks Mkendrick examined the room; it was evidently a torture room, with several cages, a couple of racks and tables with 'tools' on that he didn't particularly want to talk about. He found another sizeable coin purse, however, so he added that to his belt along with a dagger and its sheath. Always good to have a backup weapon.

With Mkendrick's resummoned familiar and the two Stormcloak soldiers bolstering their ranks – Mkendrick never found out their names – they advanced through the only available path. Past large, semi-rusted cages, some on the floor, some hanging from the now rocky and unhewn ceiling, which contrasted with the smooth ceiling of the dungeon they had found their new allies.

They could still feel rumbling, now only a faint vibration more than anything, through the rock above their heads, and Mkendrick suspected that the dragon was literally tearing the keep itself apart. He dispelled his musing on the subject as the four men continued what now looked like a cave tunnel, only wide enough for two at a time, which apparently opened into a cavern not five metres ahead. Voices could be heard. From the cursing of Stormcloaks and accents, Mkendrick, Ralof and the two others deduced that they were Imperials.

"What do we do, sir?" Asked one of the soldiers, looking to Ralof.

"We-" Before Ralof could give orders, Mkendrick spoke.

"We go in hard and fast; kill any Imperials you see." He straightened his back and glanced down at his familiar. Its spectral teeth were bared. Flame ignited in Mkendrick's palm.

"Sounds like a plan." Ralof nodded. "On three… One, two, three!"

Mkendrick and the men rushed into the largish cavern. It was indeed filled with Imperials; perhaps half a dozen. Leaving Ralof and his men to deal with the archers on the stone walkway that went along one side, Mkendrick dropped down onto the stony bank of an underground river to face three swordsmen. One of them looked like an officer so Mkendrick went for him first, while his familiar rushed to engage one of the others.

Meanwhile, Ralof and the two men charged down the stone walkway and over a small log bridge. The first archer managed to get off an arrow, which leapt across the space between them and sunk into the neck of one of the soldiers before desperately trying to draw his shortsword. With an angry roar, Ralof's axe swung and almost cleaved his head from his shoulders, blood coating the head and some of the shaft. Ralof used his boot to kick the man off his weapon before moving forward to help the other Stormcloak soldier, who was furiously battling the next archer with his sword. However, the third fired and got a lucky shot; the arrow pierced the soldier's side. With a savage thrust he impaled the Imperial with his sword even as he was killed with a stab to the neck. That just left the final archer, and after seeing two good men be killed Ralof would not be denied. The archer fought bravely but his speciality was ranged combat, and Ralof dispatched him easily.

Meanwhile, with a combination of steel and fire, Mkendrick had dealt with the three swordsmen. His familiar had kept two of them away long enough for him to deal with the officer, and after that it was easy. He took a moment to examine the cavern. Though it was obviously natural the Imperials had added a stone walkway that ran along one side and had a ninety-degree turn. He saw the exit, which Ralof was looking at now, after looting a bow and some arrows from one of the dead archers.

"Looks like the Imperials had an escape route built in." Mkendrick commented, as he and his familiar jogged to catch up with Ralof.

"Aye. If you wouldn't mind waiting…" He motioned to the dead. Mkendrick nodded, and Ralof said a few words over both of the dead Stormcloaks.

"Brave men both. Come on." Mkendrick said, and led the way out into yet another cavern, but it was larger, rougher, with a steam running along the floor and disappearing into the wall.

He and Ralof kept walking, and apart from one hairy incident with a bear, they emerged into sunlight after what had seemed like hours. From the sun, however, it was perhaps an hour at most since the carts had stopped in the fort.

Speaking of which… Mkendrick looked behind him; they had gone steadily downwards, it seemed, for the now-ruined keep was above their heads, perched on the side of a mountain. They were perhaps half-way down themselves.

"Down!" Said Ralof suddenly, and they both ducked down into a crouch as the black dragon few over their heads, the strokes of its wings like thunder.

As it was passing above their heads it let out an ear-splitting roar, causing both of them to lose their balance and fall to the ground. They watched it disappear, and as they sat in silence as they heard another distant, echoed roar. Eventually Mkendrick began to chuckle, simply marvelling at the fact they were alive. Ralof couldn't help but smile too, and eventually the two men clambered to their feet. "Come on, Riverwood isn't far from here. My cousin runs the mill…"

* * *

Yay, Skyrim. I get the weirdest feeling I'm going to regret starting this. Anyway, I'm trying to get the dialogue as close as I can to the game's, but there might be some differences. If you notice any, I apologise.

Also it looks like most chapters will be around this long or slightly shorter, since I tend to just end it whenever it feels like it should be.

Comment or critique if you feel like you have something to say, and I hope you enjoyed.


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